Why do I need to keep creating so much content?

Gary Vee keeps saying it. Create more content! Every SEO expert keeps saying it. Create more content! But have you ever stopped yourself to ask why you need to keep creating all this damn content?

At its core, you’re going to be creating all this content to do one of three things, generally; to get more people to find your website, to inform or entertain people with your social media properties, and to get credibility by showing the depth of your knowledge.

But which of these should you be doing… and even more so, should you be doing any of them?

First up, content is that thing that you use to get people to find you on Google. The idea is that if someone is looking for a plumber, you write lots of plumbing-related content and that helps you to attract more traffic to your website, and that in turn means that more people will book your plumbing service. The trouble with this is that you are going to run out of things to write about plumbing. And let’s face it, most people don’t care about the ins and outs of plumbing. They just want their plumbing fixed. Content, then, may not be the most effective use of your marketing time, effort or money. However, if you are a Naturopath or a wellbeing consultant, what you’re writing could very well be the difference between finding you or finding your competitor. Writing lots of content about health, wellbeing and living a better life could be quite valuable, especially if you’re localising it to your town. You’re not competing necessarily with every Naturopath in the world — just the ones that are close to you.

The second reason why we get stuck creating all this content, is that we are seeking to entertain or inform people on social media. We do this kind of thing to build a brand, and get in the minds of people who one day might actually need what we sell. The idea here is that we get so well known for creating crazy pizzas, that when we’re looking for a group dinner that is a little different, we’ll book that crazy pizza place. Perhaps you’re a plant nursery that, each week, takes a plant and drops it in at some random business to encourage more people to put indoor plants in their offices and shops. The idea is that you create video of the dropping off of the plant in a silly costume reciting a poem. You’re not showing any expertise as a horticulturist, but you are entertaining people while there are plants involved.

The third reason why you might be creating lots of content is because you’ve decided that it’s important for you to be seen as an expert in what you do. Especially if you actually are an expert in what you do. Creating content about your areas of expertise is ideal for showcasing what you know about the kinds of things that people are buying from you. If you’re a solicitor, writing about common cases, changes to law, and little known things that someone could be affected by in their lives, is appropriate and shows your track record, knowledge and expertise. And that expertise could be the difference between someone choose you to represent them… or someone else.

There’s pretty solid reasons for creating consistent content for your website and social media. It’s about getting Google searches to find you. It’s about building a brand on social media. It’s about showcasing your expertise. The question you need to be asking yourself is, are you doing the right kind of content for the right reasons? Is your content contributing to your business making money? And would you be better off stopping?

This story was originally published at Clickstarter.